Miko stood and watched as Hina shed tears over Darius's corpse. He said nothing to her as she cried. He didn't console nor did he scold her. He just continued to watch.
“Well, this is unexpected result.”
“?!”
Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.
He turned around and saw a shadowy figure walking towards him and Hina.
“No, maybe it wasn't that unexpected considering that girl was involved.”
The shadowy figure walked towards Hina, Miko tried blocked his way but he almost collapsed when he tried to move.
“Whoa there. Don't go over doing it. The only reason why you're still standing is because of [War Face]. Just relax.”
Miko felt an intense pain all through his body. If it wasn't for his blood traits, he would've drop dead already.
The shadow reached Hina and stood over Darius.
“Sigh. I told you this would happen, Darius. If you had just kill this girl, you wouldn't have died today.”
The shadow looked at Hinami who was trembling in fear beside of him.
“M-M-Marco Saevio?!”
She tried to get up but her legs gave away.
“Hey, there's no need to be that frighten, you know. This just a shadow projection after all. I can't kill you. Well, I can but still.”
Marco spoke with a carefree tone.
“Well, I did drag you to the palace by your hair, so it may be a trauma from back then. Hey, but I was just doing my job.”
He tried to pat Hina on the head, but stopped when he saw that she looked like she was about to cry.
He then sighed and turned to Miko.
“So you're the son of that stupid nephew of mine and the daughter of Primus, Gamiko the third.”
Marco walked over to Miko and stared at him.
“Marco Saevio? The King’s Guard Dog and the Kingdom’s Trump Card.”
“That would be me.”
Miko also observed Marco.
“Gamiko. It means ‘Child of God’, right? But for someone as evil as yourself it's quite an ironic name, don't you think?”
He then looked at Darius's corpse.
“I saw everything. You figured out what Darius’s weakness was and used it against him, didn't you?”
He pointed at Miko's right side.
“What decided Darius fate, was you making him believe he killed that girl.”
Back when Darius had began bombarding Miko and the others from the sky.
“Mikky do you have a plan?!”
They were running while dodging Darius's lasers with everything they had.
“Yeah. Hina I'm going to need you to die for a bit!”
Hina stopped for a second but when a laser landed behind her legs started moving again.
“W-What do you mean?!”
“It will complicate things if I explain it fully, but Darius weakness is you! If I make him believe that you're gone he'll self destruct!”
“How do you know that?!”
Sora asked.
“Like I said, if I tell you it will complicate things and we'll miss our chance to kill him!”
“But how will we convince him that Hina is dead?! I doubt he'll believe it if we just say so!”
Ace asked.
“Like this!”
Miko rolled up the sleeve of his base layer and drew the sword from his waist. And then without any hesitation, he cut his right arm off.
“Wha?!”
This shocked the trio. But Miko ignored their shock and took off the glove that was on the severed hand, and threw the arm away.
He then cloak his remaining hand in fire and pressed it on his wound.
“Ugh!”
He released a groan as he burn the the wound shut.
Then a small part of the purple aura, wrapped itself where Miko's arm was and formed a purple arm.
“Why did you do that?!”
Hina asked.
“We need a body part to be able to trick him. Thankfully my arm is slender like yours so he won't know the difference as long as I hide the fact that my arm is gone, we'll win!”
Miko said, as he rolled down his sleeve and put the glove on the purple hand to hide it.
Seeing that the others were looking at him with concern, Miko spoke with a smile.
“Don't worry. Tiamat says it will grow back in about a year or so.”
Present time.
“You're really impressive. For someone to readily cut off their arm, that's hard to do. Even if they knew it would grow back. But you did it like it was nothing. For a 6 year to do that is unimaginable.”
Marco praised Miko.
“But what was really impressive, was realizing that Darius was incapable of killing that girl, because he loved her too much.”
“Eh?”
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Hina showed a confused expression when she heard Marco’s words.
“What? You didn't tell her?”
“Mikky, what he's talking about?”
Hina stood up and walked over to Miko. He remained silent.
“Let me explain.”
But Marco continued speaking.
“Darius loved you as much as he hated you. Sounds contradictory right? But that what love is.”
Marco laughed a little.
“You were the only thing left in the world that Darius held dear. But he can't forgive the fact that you killed his beloved. That's why he tormented you, and saved you countless times without you knowing.”
Hina showed a confused face. Seeing that Marco pressed on.
“Think about it. Why would Darius asked for your life to be spared when he himself wanted you dead?”
“….Because he wanted to kill me himself.”
“If so, why are you still alive? You saw Darius's true power right? Then why is someone as weak as you still alive, if he truly wanted to kill you?”
“….That's…”
“Another thing. Isn't it abnormal for a man with as much influence as Darius, not know where you lived. And if he knew, why didn't he send his men to attack you in your sleep?”
“……”
“And then there's that spell that keeps the two of you apart. One day is more than enough for someone like Darius to find and kill you. He had 12 chances over the years, but didn't take any of them.”
“I-I…”
“And then there's this battle. Why do you think Darius made illogical decisions when you're involved. He could've ended this battle a long time ago, but instead he dragged it out. Why?”
“But he laughed when he thought I died!”
“And then gave those boys three chances to kill him. If that's not seeking ones own death, then I don't know what is.”
Marco sighed.
“In the end he was a fool who wanted to follow his beloved to the grave, by making his other beloved kill him.”
Marco saw that Hina was shaken by his words. Regret was starting to show on her face. He find it funny that she was grieving over someone who made her a living hell.
He then turned back the silent Miko.
“That's why I'm impressed. You saw through Darius, and toyed with his weak heart as you pleased.”
“I don't like being told I played with a man's heart. It sounds disgusting.”
Marco laughed when he heard that.
“You really are fitting of the name Gamiko, you know that. The way you talk to the way you manipulate people as you please is just the same as them.”
Marco put his hand on his chin.
“Let me guest. You planned to make that girl kill Darius from the start, didn't you?”
Hina remember the plan that Miko told them a few months ago.
It was basically hitting Darius with a variety of attacks and then make Hina kill him with a Trident in the end. At time when Hina asked why did she have to be the one to kill him. Miko responded by saying she's the only who’s able to kill him. She didn't quite get it then, but now she understood.
“That's right. I noticed Darius inconsistent behavior from Hina's story. The more I asked her about him, the more I was sure of it. Darius loved Hina, and couldn't kill her. I used that to my advantage.”
“…For a kid, you sure are manipulative. You purposely didn't explain anything to her so that she wouldn't hesitate to kill Darius.”
Hina shook when she heard that.
Miko and Marco ignored that.
“You control everyone in this battle like puppets. The underlings, Darius, and even your own comrades. Did you hate Darius that much?”
“Hate?”
Miko showed a confused expression at Marco's words.
“I didn't hate Darius. I just deemed him as someone who's going to be an obstacle in the future, so I got rid of him.”
“…An obstacle?”
Hina who stayed quiet grabbed Miko by his collar and glared at him.
“And you risked so much for that? You gave up an arm, risked your life, our lives! And manipulated us just get rid of an obstacle?!”
“That's right. I'll do anything short of betrayal to accomplish my goal.”
“You don't think manipulating me like a puppet is betrayal?!”
“I don't. I got rid of the man who was tormenting you, and the one who caused you guys much pain. How is that betrayal? Just because he loved you, didn't change that he was a dangerous existence. I did what was necessary.”
“….Mikky, don't you have an heart? Don't you feel anything from deceiving your friends?”
Hina asked teary eyed.
“I don't, and I would readily do it again if necessary.”
His face lacked any expression.
This made Hina feel sorrow instead of anger.
“Give up, my dear. This just how those who bear the name Gamiko are. If its to accomplish their goals, they'll happily use their love one’s corpse as stepping stones if they have to.”
Marco shadow arm changed into a black blade.
“That's why there's no need for three of them. The world can barely handle two as it is.”
He walked towards Miko, who could no longer take another step.
“I'll need you to die here, otherwise you'll become a threat in the future….oh?”
He stopped when Hina stood between them, and stretched her arms as if to shield Miko.
“Please! Don't kill Mikky!”
“……”
Miko didn't say anything.
“Why are you protecting him, after he manipulated you into killing the person who loved you so much it drove him insane?”
“Unc…Darius maybe have loved me like you said, but just like Miko said he was too dangerous!”
“That kid is just as, no. He's far more dangerous than Darius ever was.”
“That may be so, but Mikky is just 6 years old! He has a lot of time to change his ways!”
‘...Is she being optimistic or just plain desperate?’
Marco thought.
“He'll continue to use you until you break, you know. Do you still want to protect him even then?”
“Even so!”
Marco looked at Hina's determined expression and sighed.
“Then die together.”
“?!”
Marco lifted his hand that had now turned into a sword, and swung it at Hina's head.
Hina prepared herself for death and shut her eyes.
“……Huh?”
But death never came.
When she opened her eyes Marco had a vex expression on his face as he look above him.
“…Are you sure?....No, it's not that I doubt your decision…..Fine.”
He spoke as if talking to someone.
He then looked at Hina and said-
“Change of plans. You get to live for a while longer.”
The shadow then began to disappear without explain the reason for sparing them.
“Ah. A word of advice, girl.”
“Eh?”
The shadow called out to Hina just before it completely vanished.
“He's on verge of being taken over by the demon curse. I would distance myself if I were you.”
With that, Marco disappeared.
“Eh? Miko is what?”
Hina who was confused for a minute, felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned around, her eyes meet with an agonizing Miko.
Half of his body was pitch black. His eyes were bleeding. Half of his hair turned a ghastly white shade. And there were red marks stretching all over his body.
“Mikky?!”
Miko let go of Hina’s shoulder and collapsed to the ground.
His body was twitching and his mouth kept opening and closing without releasing a sound.
“Mikky?! Hang in there, Mikky!”
Miko couldn't hear Hina's shouts. The only thing he could hear was sound of bones creaking.
Miko consciousness was then forcibly cut off.
“Mikky?!”
This left Hina with three heavily damaged and unconscious friends laying on the ground.
This was the price of their victory.
The Royal District. The smallest of all the districts, which was located in the center of the capital. This district comprised of the oldest and most powerful aristocrats in the entire kingdom. This included the Saevio Clan, the Flameheart Clan, and finally the ruling branch of the Dragna Clan; the Secundus Branch.
Of course, this was also where the royal castle was located. Inside the throne room of the Royal castle, were two men.
One had a slim built, and stood 5’7 with shoulder length crimson hair, and a handsome looking face. He looked like he was in his late teens or early twenties. He had a pair of glasses that hid his hazel eyes. He was in the formal attire of a knight from the Renaissance era, and had several gold badges on.
He was Marco Saevio.
“Was that really okay, letting the third go like that?”
He asked the man who sat on the throne in front of him.
He was muscular built, stood 6’0 tall, had a long azure ponytail, and had an intimidating but youthful face with cold blue eyes to match. He dressed in a black military like uniform, and had a cannon-like gun at his feet.
This was the current king of the Dragna Kingdom; Dario Dragna.
“Yeah. While Darius’s death is a somewhat big blow to us, it's still not a valid reason to invite a horde of monsters at our door steps.”
Dario had a rough voice that was fitting of his appearance.
“Well you do got a point. If we kill him, then his parents would try to avenge him. Putting his mother aside, my stupid nephew would be a problem. The demon curse was especially strong in him from birth, because of that we didn't teach him how to fight, because we didn't want to create a monster we couldn't control. But even without learning how to fight, he still killed several of our adult members when he was a kid. Now that he's receiving formal training for the first time in his life, he's gradually awakening his true potential. Fighting him would be too risky.”
Marco spoke with a tired tone.
“His mother is the same. She may not be a genius at magic, but she had an abnormal amount of talent for killing. But that talent went to waste because she refused to learn killing techniques, and eventually left the clan. She may be dull now, but she's still that man’s daughter.”
Dario rested his hand on the crown, that on the throne’s arm rest.
“If those two come seeking revenge and we kill them it will lead to a civil war, right?”
Said Marco.
Dario nodded.
“If we're going to war, I'll need to prove myself to my grandfather, and gain his power first. If it's pure power, the Secundus Branch won't lose to the Primus Branch.”
Dario lift the crown and put on his head.
“Anyway, for me to truly become king I'll need to be acknowledged by both clans which will take time. I don't want to die before that, so a war is no good.”
“So what are we going do about the damages caused to High Class District?”
“Just use Darius's fortune to fix it. Since he caused most of it.”
“As you wish.”
With a bow, Marco left the throne room.
Dario sat on the throne alone and muttered-
“Gamiko the third, huh. Seems like an interesting kid.”